Why Did Indiana Fever Fire Coach Christie Sides?

As a die-hard Indiana Fever fan who has witnessed countless coaching changes over the years, I find myself once again at a crossroads with the news of Christie Sides’ departure from the team. Just when we were starting to see some promising results on the court, the axe falls yet again.


In an unexpected move, the long-standing WNBA team, the Indiana Fever, have chosen to end their relationship with head coach Christie Sides. Although she had been with the team since November 2022 and compiled a record of 33 wins and 47 losses, the former champions of the WNBA have elected to terminate her four-year contract prematurely after only two seasons. The reason behind the Indiana Fever’s decision to let Sides go remains unclear at this time.

Here’s a rundown on the latest developments concerning head coach Christie Sides’ departure from Indiana Fever.

Here’s why Christie Sides was fired from Indiana Fever

On October 27th, The Fever officially stated that they would be saying goodbye to Coach Sides after two years in charge, as per a decision made for a complete revamp of the team, according to Kelly Krauskopf, their Basketball Operations President.

Speaking about Coach Christie Sides‘ departure, Krauskopf expressed gratitude for her work before providing more details on her termination. He stated, “We are deeply appreciative of Coach Sides for taking up the task of guiding us during a crucial transition phase over the past two seasons and also preparing us for future advancement.” (Paraphrased from CNN Sports)

He emphasized that making such choices can be challenging, but it’s crucial to continue being courageous and determined as we strive for our objectives. Moreover, he mentioned that this pursuit encompasses leveraging our abilities to their fullest potential and aiming to secure another WNBA title for Indiana.

Over the course of two coaching seasons with the Fever, Christie Sides consistently achieved a league record of 33 wins and 47 losses. Notably, under her leadership, Indiana made it to their first postseason since 2016. Regrettably, in the 2024 playoffs, despite Sides’ dedicated work, her team was defeated in the first round by the Connecticut Sun.

As such, Christie Sides joins the long line of Indiana coaches to lose their jobs before their contract’s expiration. Ever since Lin Dunn’s tenure at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse ended in 2014, no coach has held their post at the Fever for more than three seasons.

Indiana is currently searching for a suitable candidate to fill in for Sides’ vacant position. At present, Stephanie White of the Sun seems to be leading the race. Nevertheless, no formal announcement about the new coach has been made by the Fever’s team yet.

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2024-10-29 09:12